LEXINGTON, Ky. — Texas junior ace Teagan Kavan struck out 12 batters in a three-hitter as the Longhorns, the reigning national champions, won the Southeastern Conference softball tournament for the first time on their second try, defeating Alabama 7-1 in Saturday’s title matchup at John Cropp Stadium.
Texas, which left the Big 12 Conference for the SEC ahead of the 2024-25 school year, was eliminated in the semifinals of the league tournament last spring, but the Longhorns bounced back in the NCAA tournament, winning regionals and super regionals at home in Austin to advance to the eight-team Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Kavan (22-4), who starred in the pitching circle as Texas won the WCWS for the first time after runner-up finishes for the program in 2022 and 2024, gave up a first-inning home run to Alexis Pupillo in Saturday’s SEC final, then allowed only four baserunners the rest of the game.
The Longhorns added their SEC tournament title to four four conference tourney titles from their time in the Big 12 (1999, 2002, 2003, 2005). They also own five conference regular-season championships (2002, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2024).
Fourth-seeded Texas (42-10) loaded the bases in the second inning and scored one run each on two separate infield plays. Victoria Hunter drove in one with a pinch-hit single toward second base, and the other run scored on a ground ball by Kayden Henry that went for a fielder’s choice.
The Longhorns added three runs with two outs in the fourth, which included SEC player of the year Katie Stewart’s two-out RBI single and a two-run error on a high fly ball that was dropped in left field.
Second-seeded Alabama (49-7) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but Kavan got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.
Stewart hit her program-record 25th home run of the season for Texas in the sixth, and Reese Atwood added a sacrifice fly later in the inning.
Alabama starter Jocelyn Briski (21-3) allowed two runs in six innings.
There were a total of 36 home runs during the tournament, setting a record for the event.